Blind voters face obstacles

Blind voters face obstacles

JAKARTA (JP): How will blind people vote in the June 7
elections? Will they have to pick out one of the 48 parties,
whose symbols will be printed on a flat piece of paper, without
accompanying braille characters?

"The General Election Commission (KPU) must decide on how the
blind will vote," lawyer and coordinator of the University
Network for Free and Fair Elections Todung Mulya Lubis said on
Friday.

Responding to the concern, National Election Committee (PPI)
chairman Jacob Tobing said special treatment for the handicapped
would be provided.

"Subdistrict elections committee's offices, in cooperation
with local administrations, will help the handicapped register
for voting.

"On elections day, the handicapped -- especially the blind --
will be accompanied by individuals that they trust to cast their
vote," he said.

Jacob said that given the limited time available, it would be
impossible for the commission to print special ballot papers for
the handicapped.

Andreas Basuki, a 42-year-old blind masseur living in Kedoya
subdistrict, West Jakarta, said on Friday he was not aware of the
latest developments.

In the past, "a special aluminum tool, like the one that the
blind use to write braille," was available, he told The Jakarta
Post. The implement was provided by local ballot committees, he
said.

"I could vote in front of three witnesses from the three
contesting political parties then. Now, I don't know. (There are)
so many parties."

Out of some 130 million people eligible to vote in the
upcoming June 7 general election, 1997 data reveals that an
estimated 2.5 million are blind.

Their voting power could be worth at least six legislature
seats. (rms/aan)